SG Deluxe
The SG Deluxe was introduced in June 1971 at Summer NAMM (although they don't appear to have started production until later in the year) as a replacement for the SG Standard. However, this would prove to be arguably the most controversial SG model ever made. This was because the Deluxe marked some significant departures from traditional SG features; a front-routed control cavity, zero degree neck pitch, deeper set neck and a Les Paul style pickguard. Yet, many of the features that the Deluxe is commonly associated with were not actually new, for example the SG Standard had a narrow 1 9/16" nut since 1966, a laminated neck since mid-1969 and a volute since 1970. However, public reception would cause the model to be quickly discontinued and the Standard to return in mid-1972. The Deluxe remained on price lists until October 1972 as remaining supply was sold off. The transition back to the SG Standard started in mid-1972 as the last Deluxe parts were being used up. The first change was moving the control cavity cover to the back of the body again. Then, the pickguard changed to something similar to the early '60s Angel Wing style, but with less of a curve for the cutaway, which was fixed by 1973 as the cutaway beveling returned. These transitional models are detailed below as the "SG Deluxe/Standard". In 1998, a new SG Deluxe was introduced, bearing little-to-no resemblance to the original Deluxe, aside from a Bigsby tremolo. It featured what Gibson called a 1959 Slim Taper neck profile, which they described as a 1959 radius, but slimmer. It was only produced until 1999. 1971 - 1972 * June 1971: $375 * November 1971: $395 * October 1972: $415 Body: * Beveled, solid Honduran Mahogany body ** Un-beveled cutaways * Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish Neck: * 3-pc laminated Honduran Mahogany * Set-in construction ** Zero degree pitch ** Titebond glue * Joins body at 20th fret * Indian Rosewood fretboard ** Small block inlays ** 12" radius * Volute * Large Open Book headstock ** Resin impregnated fiberboard veneer ** Inlaid Mother of Pearl Gibson logo ** Inlaid Mother of Pearl crown ** "Made in U.S.A." stamp ** 14o pitch * 22 frets * 24 9/16" scale * 1 9/16" nut width Binding: * Single-ply, neck * Fret-edge binding * Thinner style Electronics: * Two "T-Top" humbuckers ** Short bar AlNiCo V magnets ** ~7.5K Ohms DCR ** "Gibson" embossed chrome covers * 3-way switch * 2 Vol, 2 Tone ** CTS 500k pots Hardware: * Chrome Hardware * Schaller M6 Keystone tuning machines * Grover Rotomatic tuning machines (Sporadic use) * 5-ply elevated Les Paul pickguard * 5-ply front-mounted control plate * Bell shaped truss rod cover ** Single-ply black * Black Witch Hat knobs w/ pointers * ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge * Gibson-branded Bigsby vibrola Finishes: * Cherry * Walnut * Natural 1972 Deluxe / Standard After a short hiatus, being replaced by the Deluxe, the Standard returned mid-1972 as the last Deluxe parts were being used up. The first change was moving the control cavity cover to the back of the body again. Then, the pickguard changed to something similar to the early '60s Angel Wing style, but with less of a curve for the cutaway, which was fixed by 1973 as the cutaway beveling returned. * June: $395 * October: $415 Body: * Beveled, solid Honduran Mahogany body ** Un-beveled cutaways * Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish Neck: * 3-pc laminated Honduran Mahogany * Set-in construction ** No angle ** Titebond glue * Joins body at 20th fret * Indian Rosewood fretboard w/ small block inlays ** 12" radius * Volute * Large Open Book headstock ** Resin impregnated fiberboard veneer * Inlaid Mother of Pearl Gibson logo * Inlaid Mother of Pearl crown * "Made in U.S.A." stamp * 14o headstock pitch * 22 frets * 24 9/16" scale * 1 9/16" nut width Binding: * Single-ply, neck * Fret-edge binding * Thinner style Electronics: * Two "T-Top" humbuckers (Version 1) ** Short bar AlNiCo V magnets ** ~7.5K Ohms DCR ** "Gibson" embossed chrome covers * Two Bill Lawrence "Super Humbuckers" (Version 2) ** Indox 7 ceramic magnets ** ~5.4K (neck), 7.5K (bridge) Ohms DCR ** Epoxy-mounted ** AKA "Tarbacks" * 3-way switch * 2 Vol, 2 Tone ** CTS 500k pots Hardware: * Chrome Hardware * Schaller M6 Keystone tuning machines * Grover Rotomatic tuning machines (Sporadic use) * 5-ply elevated Les Paul pickguard (Ver. 1) * 5-ply pseudo-"Angel Wing" pickguard (Ver. 2) * Bell shaped truss rod cover ** Single-ply black * Black Witch Hat knobs w/ pointers (Ver. 1) * Black Speed knobs w/ pointers (Ver. 2) * ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge and Bigsby vibrola * Schaller "Harmonica" Tune-O-Matic bridge and Bigsby vibrola Finishes: * Cherry * Walnut * Natural 1971 - 1972 Stereo Same as 1971-1972 Deluxe, but with separate stereo outputs and dual slide switches. Only 79 units produced. 1998 - 1999 Body: * Beveled, solid Mahogany body * Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish Neck: * 1-pc quartersawn Mahogany * 1959 Slim Taper profile * Set-in construction ** Joins body at 22nd fret * Rosewood fretboard w/ dot inlays (1998) * Ebony fretboard w/ small block inlays (1999) ** 12" radius * Narrow Open Book headstock ** Silkscreened Gibson logo ** "Made in U.S.A." stamp ** 17o pitch * 22 frets * 24 9/16" scale * 1 11/16" nut width Electronics: * Three 490R/498T mini-humbuckers ** AlNiCo II (neck & middle) & V (bridge) magnets ** 17k (neck & middle), 26k (bridge) Ohms D.C.R. ** Chrome covers * 6-way rotary switch * 1 Vol, 1 Tone Hardware: * Chrome Hardware * Kluson-style tuning machines ** 12:1 ratio ** Chrome "Bean" buttons * 3-ply pearloid pickguard * Bell shaped truss rod cover ** 3-ply pearloid/black * Black Reflector knobs (1998) * Black Bell knobs (1999) * Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge * "Maestro" engraved Bigsby tremolo Finishes: * Ebony * Ice Blue * Hellfire Red